Growing Gardens

with Julia Hancock

The rivers run dry

I've been trying to think of attractive ways to revamp my garden to make it more drought proof and to turn a negative situation into a positive one. It seems less and less likely that I will ever have a real stream running through my garden, but I can create the illusion of one by installing a dry creek bed and planting it up to look like a bush creek.

A meandering or curvy shape looks the most natural and remember you are just creating an illusion, rather than the real thing, so there is no need to excavate a deep creek.

Good stones are essential as a starting point for such a project, and many people are lucky enough to already have some on their property. Less fortunate gardeners can pick them up from landscape suppliers, who may even offer to install them for you. Even a small dry creek bed should have a couple of really large rocks in it to anchor it to its surroundings, but savings can be made by filling in the gaps with smaller rocks and plants with large or spreading foliage.

Plants that are found growing naturally along bush creeks include lomandra, paperbarks and casuarinas, but if your garden is too small for large trees, interplant the lomandra with dwarf banksias and callistemons, which will produce a pleasing effect. These small, bushy plants offer habitat to native birds and reptiles, so it would be a hospitable gesture to place a shallow dish of water and some hollow logs amongst them, to provide your visitors with all the creature comforts.

The best thing about a landscape featuring mainly rocks and tough plants is that it will require very little maintenance over future years other than some gentle pruning, and it will continue to look fresh and interesting even in the driest weather.

Lismore Garden Club News

The Club will hold its October meeting next Thursday 7th at 1.30pm at the Lismore Workers Club. All gardeners welcome. For information phone Mary on 6621 5293.

September rainfall has been well below the average at about 30mm. Rous Water has asked us to voluntarily follow water conservation measures in our gardens.

Outdoor watering is allowed 6am to 10am and 3pm to 7pm. Rocky Creek Dam is under 75% and dropping, so lets do our part and conserve water. It's time to begin recycling bathwater and laundry rinse water. There is little use in watering often with a hand held hose. Deep watering less frequently is much more effective.

Mulch is still our best measure to conserve soil moisture, and thereby save water and money. There is still a fair percentage chance that our country will return to serious drought conditions. I challenge those of us that are churchgoers to initiate prayers for rain.

Happy Gardening
Ron Burns